Fabrication of fluid coupling

Abstract

A method of fabricating a fluid coupling assembly ( 20, 120, 220, 320 and 420 ) of the type including a housing having spaced side walls ( 24, 124, 224 and 434 ) extending radially relative to an axis (A) and defining a fluid chamber surrounding a disc ( 30, 130 ) supported by a shift ( 26 ) extending through and rotatably supported by one of the side walls with cooling fins for cooling the fluid chamber. The invention is characterized by fabricating a cooling sub-assembly ( 44, 46, 48, 144, 244, 246, 248, or 444 ) of cooling fins connected to a ring ( 50, 54, 58, 150, 250, 350, 450 and 472 ) having an axis with the cooling fins extending radially and axially of the ring. Subsequently, the cooling sub-assembly is secured to the housing by placing the ring axially between the side walls so as to transmit heat from the housing to the cooling fins. The housing and/or the disc may be fabricated from sheet metal. The cooling sub-assemblies may be of various embodiments and a plurality of cooling sub-assemblies ( 44, 46, 48 ) may be attached to each housing.

What is claimed is:  
     
       1. A method of fabricating a fluid coupling assembly including a housing having spaced side walls extending radially relative to an axis and defining a fluid chamber, a shaft extending through and rotatably supported by one of said side walls, and a disc supported by said shaft in spaced relationship to side walls, said method comprising the steps of: 
       fabricating a cooling sub-assembly comprising a ring extending axially relative to said axis and a plurality of cooling fins extending axially and radially relative to said ring, wherein said cooling fins are connected to said ring; and  
       securing said cooling sub-assembly to said housing by placing said ring axially between said spaced side walls so as to directly transmit heat from said housing through said ring to said cooling fins.  
     
     
       2. A method as set forth in claim  1  including the steps of stamping the housing from sheet metal. 
     
     
       3. A method as set forth in claim  2  including forming undulations in the side walls of the housing with an axial extent greater than the thickness of the side walls. 
     
     
       4. A method a set forth in claim  3  including stamping the disc from sheet metal. 
     
     
       5. A method as set forth in claim  4  including forming undulations in the disc having an axial extent greater than the thickness of the disc. 
     
     
       6. A method as set forth in claim  5  including disposing the undulations of the disc in axial overlapping relationship with the undulations of the side walls. 
     
     
       7. A method as set forth in claim  1  including disposing the ring between the side walls to define an axially extending outer wall of the fluid chamber. 
     
     
       8. A method as set forth in claim  1  including forming the housing with an axially extending outer wall and securing the cooling sub-assembly to the axially extending outer wall. 
     
     
       9. A method as set forth in claim  1  including forming the housing with an annular outer wall extending axially between the side walls and disposing the cooling sub-assembly about the axially extending outer wall. 
     
     
       10. A method as set forth in claim  9  including forming the side walls with flanges extending radially outwardly of the outer wall and disposing the cooling sub-assembly between the flanges. 
     
     
       11. A method as set forth in claim  9  including disposing the ring about the axially extending outer wall of the fluid chamber. 
     
     
       12. A method as set forth in claim  1  including forming the housing with a plurality of annular outer walls extending axially and disposing one of the cooling sub-assemblies about at least two of the axially extending outer walls. 
     
     
       13. A method as set forth claim  1  including disposing a first set of cooling fins around the ring, disposing a set of airfoil fins around the ring and axially spaced from the first set of cooling fins for moving air through the first set of cooling fins.